Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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381. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons under 25 years of age that successfully applied for support under the back to education allowance scheme, excluding those on the momentum programme in 2015 and 2016, in tabular form. [18073/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme is one of a range of activation supports and policies administered by the Department of Social Protection for their customers. The main focus of BTEA is to assist qualifying applicants to enhance their qualifications and therefore improve their prospects of returning to sustainable employment. The objective of the scheme is to raise the educational and skill levels to enable jobseekers better access to the emerging needs of the labour market.

One of the conditions for receipt of the BTEA for jobseekers under 21 years of age is that they must be out of formal education for at least two years. Periods spent on Youthreach can count towards the relevant qualifying period and will be regarded as periods out of formal education. To qualify for BTEA, the applicant must have had a prior entitlement to an eligible social protection payment. Advice on BTEA and the terms and conditions applying are available on the Department’s website www.welfare.ie or at any of the Department’s Intreo Centres or offices.

The number of new participants under 25 years of age who successfully applied for support under the BTEA scheme (excluding those Momentum) for the 2015/16 and 2016/17 academic years are as follows:

New participants under 25 years on BTEA